The Noisettes

Noisettes vocalist Shingai Shoniwa manipulates her voice into tight knots and loose bellows with such cogency that she’s immediately convincing and magnetic. The twists and jerks she lets out bring to mind the eccentricities of Nina Hagen and are smoothed over by slick, melodious washes of clear blue sound. Kicking off with the punchy "Don’t Give Up,” What’s the Time Mr. Wolf? launches into fevered licks with stiletto sharp style. "Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit)” starts off with an infectious appetite and quickly dissolves into layers of barrelling noise that ups the tempo and turbulence. "Nothing to Dread” and "Mind the Gap” are fractured with unpredictability and make it clear the Noisettes aren’t about to get derivative any time soon. It all cools down with the epic "Hierarchy,” which drags out the slower drones and captures a tamer side to the band.